“Shut the F*ck Up”: Chappell Roan Explains Heated Exchange at the VMAs Red Carpet

Chappell Roan made her award show debut at the MTV VMAs, going home with the Best New Artist award and a stunning performance under her belt. However, the lead-up to the show wasn’t all sunshine and roses. Chappell was seen yelling at a photographer on the red carpet before the show, but she explained her actions after.

While fixing her medieval-style dress on the red carpet, Chappell Roan whirled around and told a photographer to “shut the f–k up,” pointing at them and giving a strong glare. “Not me, b–ch,” she added. Notably, the tweet below states that Chappell was told to “shut up,” which is incorrect.

Later, while still on the red carpet, she explained why she reacted in that way. “For someone who gets a lot of anxiety around people yelling at you, the carpet is horrifying, and I yelled back,” she said, speaking with Entertainment Tonight. “You don’t get to yell at me like that,” she added.

Chappell also admitted to being “nervous” for her first award show performance. “There are a lot of technical things going on that I’ve never had happen, but we’ve practiced so many times. I feel like this is the next step in my career, so I was like, ‘Dang, OK, it feels good to be here,’” she said.

[RELATED: Watch Chappell Roan Give Suitably Cinematic Award Show Debut as She Lights up the VMAs Stage]

Chappell Roan Finds Support from Unlikely Source After Heated Exchange With Photographer at MTV VMAs

Chappell Roan found support after the incident from a surprising source—indie-folk darling Noah Kahan threw his support behind Chappell’s reaction. He posted about the moment on Twitter, revealing that he’s been through something similar with paparazzi.

“I’ll never forget leaving Clive Davis and the horrific s–t photographers and paparazzi or whatever were saying to me in front of my sweet mom who couldn’t believe it was actually happening. Love this [Chappell Roan] way to stand up for yourself,” he wrote, quote-tweeting a video of the moment.

Meanwhile, Chappell Roan lit up the VMAs stage, literally, when she employed pyrotechnics to set her medieval backdrop on fire. She began her performance behind a large gate, carrying a crossbow and a lit arrow. She shot the arrow at the set, which burst into an array of sparks and fire. The gate stayed lit for the duration of her performance, adding a sinister ambiance to the scene as she sang “Good Luck, Babe!” while dressed in armor and surrounded by sword-fighting knights.

Featured Image by Anthony Harvey/Shutterstock